Pretty Close
by NeoMiniTails
Summary: Bruce Wayne remembers being young and scared just like her. He knows all about that. Dedicated to Scorp. "Family Theme Challenge" from the Hostile Takeover.


Author's Note:

 _This story is dedicated to Scorp who has always been a friend to me throughout the worst and best of times._

 _This is also written for the "Theme Challenge" in the Hostile Takeover with the theme of "Family." I'd written one already which happened to be very sad, and because of my own emotional issues, I decided to make this one much happier._

 _As usual, Rei Hino is based on both her manga/anime counterparts with the manga taking center stage._

Disclaimer:

 _I own only the plot. The characters belong to their respective owners._

Story:

Twice she missed her target in front of Bruce Wayne. Her arrows strayed, and Rei felt like such a failure. _Bruce isn't like my father... he won't leave me._ She repeated the words over and over to herself like a metronome. The blazing sun felt cold on her; it seemed like no matter how hard she tried to warm up, her perspiring shoulders felt frosty and her teeth chattered in her frustration.

 _You are my daughter. I can never leave you. Daddy just needs time alone. Your daddy, I mean me, I need time to grieve and get stronger... for you._

She shot another arrow. Rei didn't have to look to know that it missed. Tears blinded her long before she took a chance on that shot. Why did Bruce have to come and see her on this day out of all days? This was the worst day of the year every year. It was the anniversary of the day that her father dropped her off at her grandfather's house, promising to come back. He said it would just be for a little while.

As a child, she believed him. With an innocuous heart, she waved goodbye then for a year, she waited at the footsteps of the temple, hoping and unswervingly believing in his words. _He wasn't there for mommy, but he'll be here for me... he has to be. He promised._ What foolish faith she had in the man!

"Rei-chan!" Bruce's deep voice broke through her thoughts. She didn't turn to look at him. She couldn't. He wasn't allowed to see her at her weakest. No, she had to make sure that he wouldn't leave her - not like her father did.

"Yes, Wayne-san."

She could hear his footsteps coming closer and closer then move from behind her to in front of him. Rei didn't look up despite the fact that she could see his high class shoes muddied up from following her to this abandoned land. She watched his hand go up into his breast pocket and grab out a handkerchief. "When I was younger, I used to always mess up in front Alfred. I hated it. I felt like it was the end of the world..."

Rei listened but didn't look up.

"I was always afraid that one day... Alfred would find another person to care for who wasn't dorky enough to do be anything but a sad kid. When I met your mother, I lost in a fight against your father... and I couldn't look her in the eyes." He chuckled as he took his handkerchief and stared at it for a moment. "I couldn't bear for her to see me cry because like Alfred, I wanted every moment to count. If this were to be my final moment with them, I want their image to be something good."

Bruce wiped away the tears in Rei's eyes then the drenching sweat off her face. "Your mother, Sakio-san, she waited beside me for hours as I let out all my frustrations in the very spot you're standing in. When I finally stopped, she walked over to me and wiped away my tears and sweat and said in her dignified voice, 'you're going to get a head cold with all that sweat you're collecting by your eyes and face.'"

Rei's eyes widened. "Wayne-san..."

"Rei-chan," he said with a smile, "you're going to get a head cold with all that sweat you're collecting." He handed her the handkerchief. "She always knew when I was upset; she was always there to see me at my worst, but she never left me once. When there was no one else, she was there for me. She was family."

"You and her were pretty close, huh?"

"You and I are pretty close, Rei-chan."

"You don't owe her anything. My mother is gone; you needn't feel like being here-"

Bruce cut her off with a hug. His affection caught her by surprise as neither one of them were known for being the warmest of people. Still, while being held in his warm embrace, she remembered her mother's last words. _Be there for Bruce, trust in him. He's family._ It was true. He'd always been there for her. Bruce had been the one to comfort her on her first day of school when her father was out of the country for a political trip. Yes, it was him who comforted when Kaidou broke her heart.

Bruce was the one who stood by Rei's side, holding her hand at the hospital, telling Rei that she would be strong and grow from this loss.

They were more than pretty close. "We're family... Bruce; just like you and mom, we're family."

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